Update on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution
December 6, BPN. New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on December 5.
Arrests
Police arrested a Social Democratic party activist, Dźmitryj Plešavenia, after his return from Latvia for participating in protests, pro-government sources said.
Psychiatrist Maksim Zajcaŭ was arrested for comments about Alaksandr Łukašenka and Brest official Alaksandr Rahačuk; IT engineer Illa Šakiraŭ, for comments allegedly insulting police officers.
Police arrested several people in the Braslav district, Viciebsk region, including Alena Selech and the family of farmers Ułladzisłaŭ and Julia Karol, BPN reported. The reasons for the arrests are unknown. According to preliminary information, women were later released.
Trials
Authorities jailed musicians of The Tor Band, Jaŭhien Burło and Dźmitryj Hałavač from Rahačoŭ, Homiel region, for 15 days for the third time in a row, RFE/RL Belarus Service reported. Authorities reportedly plan to punish them “for every song” and also persecute Rahačoŭ residents who starred in their music videos. Their current jail term expires on December 13.
Criminal proceedings
The Minsk Regional Court sentenced five defendants in the case of People’s Self-Defense Units (OGSB) to large fines and lengthy prison terms ranging from 13 to 20 years, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported. They faced a number of terrorism-related charges. Authorities accused Vadzim Hulevič, Kirył Ašurak and Alaksiej Hłotaŭ of attempting to blow up a communication center in Vilejka, Minsk region; Natalla Maćviejeva, of attempted destruction of logging equipment at a forestry farm; Dźmitryj Sasnoŭski, of attempted murder of state television journalist Ryhor Azaronak.
The Mahiloŭ Regional Court upheld the prosecutor’s request to add another year to the prison term for Siarhiej Lalin, previously sentenced to one year for insulting Łukašenka and a public official, Viasna reported.
In November, courts passed guilty verdicts in three other cases for insulting Łukašenka, Viasna said. Alesia Stalarčuk from Brest and Iryna Karatkievič from Homiel received two-year restricted freedom sentences in home confinement each. Uładzimir Saldataŭ from Biaroza, Brest region, received two years of restricted freedom with referral to the open-type correctional facility for 2020 online comments.
Authorities accuse Hienadź Mažejka, a former journalist with Komsomolskaya Pravda v Belarusi of insulting Łukašenka during a public meeting of voters with MP Valer Varaniecki in 2020. Mažejka has been in custody since October 2021 over an article he wrote on the 2021 shootout that left two people dead, IT engineer Andrej Zielcer and a KGB officer. His trial started at the Minsk City Court on December 1.
The Minsk Regional Court has started hearing a case against Vital Melnik behind the closed doors, Viasna reported. Authorities accuse him of an arson attack on the railway’s relay cabinet in March 2022. Police shot Melnik in both knees during his arrest. He could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
Other instances of persecution
Authorities transferred convicted opposition activist Maryja Kaleśnikava from a Homiel hospital back to prison, where she was allowed to see her father, Viktar Babaryka’s campaign reported. She will remain at a prison medical ward for at least 10 more days after being treated for perforated ulcer.
Designated terrorists
The Committee for State Security (KGB) added five people to its register of people involved in terrorism, including Juryj Ziankovič, Anastasija Kuchta and Andrej Harun, whom human rights groups consider political prisoners, BPN reported. The KGB also blacklisted Taćciana Kołas, an insurance company employee, and Illa Smaluha. Both were convicted of inciting hatred. The list currently features 968 names, with 227 Belarusians among them. It also has one German and one Latvian, charged for political reasons in Belarus.
Content blacklisted as extremist
Authorities blacklisted the YouTube Belarusi Telegram channel as extremist content, BPN reported.
As of December 6, human rights defenders identified at least 1,445 political prisoners.
- SecurityVietnamese military delegation led by army ideology chief arrives in BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, Politics, SecurityEU envoys agree to prolong Ukraine‑related sanctions against Belarus by three years, report saysThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsŁukašenka heaps praise on Russia’s State Duma electionsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsBelarusian foreign minister leaves for New York to participate in UN eventsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, Politics
- EconomyBelarusian companies’ CapEx rise by 11.5 percent in first eight monthsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyThree Belarusians face trial over alleged irregular migration facilitationThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- Economy, Politics
- PoliticsŁukašenka stresses “friendly ties” with Armenians amid tensions with YerevanThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyConstitutional Court receives over 260 appeals since 2023 – chairmanThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyEDB links Belarus’ economic slowdown to weaker agricultural outputThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, Politics
- SocietyBySol raises nearly €37,000 for recently freed dissidentsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsOpposition politician Viačorka looking forward to establishment of Belarus-Ukraine coordinating groupThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsCichanoŭskaja leaves for New York to take part in UN eventsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Security, SocietyParticipants at Belarusian-Ukrainian forum in Kyiv vow to investigate transfers of Ukrainian children to BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityUkraine will probably deal with Belarus-based relay systems for Russian drone attacks in non-public way, envoy saysThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, PoliticsCichanoŭskaja welcomes new US sanctions against RussiaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsTen of 25 deported political prisoners move from Lithuania to PolandThe material is available only to POZIRK+



